Hangzhou
From ChinaTravelGuide
East China (华东) » Zhejiang (浙江) » Hangzhou (杭州)
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[edit] Overview
Hangzhou (杭州) was established more than 4,700 years ago, and is one of the seven ancient capitals and one of the top scenic, historical and cultural cities in China (中国). Hangzhou was once applauded by Marco Polo, the 13th-century Italian traveler, as "the most splendid and luxurious city in the world". There's also a popular saying that tells the charm of Hangzhou: "paradise in heaven, Hangzhou and Suzhou on earth" (上有天堂，下有苏杭).
Under the Hangzhou's jurisdiction are 8 districts, 3 county-level cities and 2 counties. Hangzhou covers a total area of 16,596 sq km and has a total population of 6.43 million with its city proper covering an area of 3,068 square kilometers with a population of 3.93 million.
Hangzhou's four pillar industries are food processing, machinery, electronic communications, and textile. Hangzhou attaches much importance to the construction of "Silicon Valley in Paradise" and the development of new and high technology industries, among which "the Information Port and New Pharmacy Port", Hangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, Hangzhou High-New Technological Industries Development Zone, and High Education Park are the backbones. In 2003 alone, Hangzhou has attracted foreign investment from 76 countries, and has exported more than USD 10.95 billion of goods, and imported goods in the amount of USD 7.28 billion.
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport has been developing new international lines to connect with overseas airports and raise its reputation.
Hangzhou is the hometown of sweet osmanthus, and is rich of scented camphor trees. Hangzhou's city flower is Sweet Osmanthus (木樨), and city tree is camphor tree (香樟树). The West Lake is one of the five biggest sweet osmanthus watch places in China. Top attractions in Hangzhou include West Lake (西湖), Pagoda of the Six Harmonies (六和塔), Ling Yin Temple (灵隐寺), Wuzhen (乌镇).
[edit] History
Located in southeastern China, Hangzhou has enjoyed a 2,200-year history as a political center since being established as a county during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC).
As one of the birthplaces of the Chinese civilization, Hangzhou had evidence of human activity as early as 8,000 years ago, as artifacts uncovered at the site of Kuahuqiao show.
One of seven ancient capitals of China, Hangzhou served as the capital of both the Wuyue Kingdom (907-978) of the Five Dynasties and the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). The 13th century Italian traveler, Marco Polo, called Hangzhou "the finest and most splendid city in the world."
Originally called Qiantang, the county was converted to Hangzhou District during the reign of Kaihuang in the Sui Dynasty (581-618). It was then that the name "Hangzhou" appeared for the first time in literature.
During the Southern Song Dynasty, Emperor Gaozong (1107-1187) moved the capital southwards from Kaifeng to Hangzhou, renaming it Lin'an Prefecture. In 1138, Lin'an officially became the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty. It remained the capital for more than 140 years.
After the fall of imperial China in 1911, the former counties of Qiantang and Renhe merged to form Hang County in 1912. In 1927, the urban part of the county was established as Hangzhou City. On May 3, 1949, Hangzhou was liberated to begin a new page of its development.
[edit] Weather
Current Conditions (2010-03-14 09:00:00, local time)
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Hangzhou |
Temp: 52°F (11°C) |
Hangzhou Weather Forecast
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| Weather averages for Hangzhou | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Avg high °C (°F) | 8 (46) | 10 (50) | 14 (57) | 20 (68) | 26 (79) | 29 (84) | 33 (91) | 32 (90) | 28 (82) | 23 (73) | 17 (63) | 11 (52) | |
| Avg low °C (°F) | 2 (36) | 3 (37) | 7 (45) | 12 (54) | 17 (63) | 22 (72) | 25 (77) | 25 (77) | 21 (70) | 15 (59) | 9 (48) | 4 (39) | |
| Rain mm (inches) | 66 (2.6) | 65 (2.6) | 105 (4.1) | 89 (3.5) | 98 (3.9) | 170 (6.7) | 129 (5.1) | 131 (5.2) | 84 (3.3) | 44 (1.7) | 43 (1.7) | 30 (1.2) | |
| Source: per MSN 2008 | |||||||||||||
[edit] Map
Click here to open Hangzhou map.
[edit] Getting in & Getting out
[edit] By Air
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (杭州萧山国际机场) is located on the southern shore of Qiantang River (钱塘江) in the Xiaoshan (萧山) district and is about 30km east of downtown Hangzhou (杭州). The airport primarily services domestic flights with a limited number of international flights to and from Hong Kong, Tokyo, Osaka, Singapore, Seoul, and Kuala Lumpur. A convenient route to Hangzhou for foreign visitors is to first fly into Shanghai's Pudong airport, and then take bus to Hangzhou using the Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ningbo Expressway (沪杭甬高速公路). Driving time from the airport to Shanghai is about 2.5 hrs (about 85 RMB one way), Suzhou is about 1.5 hrs, Wuxi is about 2 hrs, Ningbo is about 1.5 hrs and Wenzhou is about 3.5 hrs.
Airport buses leave for Wulin Men (downtown Hangzhou) (15 RMB one way) and Xiaoshan (also 15 RMB one way) every 15-30 minutes. There are also airport buses to prefectures further away near Hangzhou such as Yiwu (30 RMB one way).
[edit] By Train
There are many trains going to or passing Hangzhou from Shanghai. It normally takes about 2 hours from Shanghai (200 km) to Hangzhou by train (Cost is about 40 RMB). There are two train stations in Hangzhou, the New Train Station (the main Train Station, which is inside the city) and the East Hangzhou station.
Trains leaving Hangzhou reach more than 20 cities directly, including Beijing (北京) (1650 km), Shanghai (上海) (200 km), and Xi'an (西安) (1550 km).
Train tickets can be purchased at the Wulinmen Ticket Office (No. 199, Wulin Road) or Huansha Road Ticket Office (No. 147, Huansha Road). The train station inquiry numbers are 0571-8782 9424 (New Train Station) and 0571-8645 0514 (East Train Station).
[edit] By Bus
There are 4 bus stations in Hangzhou: East Bus Station (No. 215, Genshan East Road); South Bus Station (No. 407, Qiutao Road); West Bus Station (No. 89, Tianmushan Road); North Bus Station (No. 758, Moganshan Road). Generally you decide which one to go depending on the direction of your destination. For Shanghai (上海), take the East Bus Station; For Huangshan, buses leave from the West Bus Station; For Nanjing (南京) it's the North Station; For Ningbo (宁波), it will be the South Station.
Buses can often be more comfortable than trains as they leave more often (especially for Shanghai).
[edit] By Ship
There are boat service from Hangzhou to Suzhou (苏州), Wuxi (无锡), and Zhouzhuang through Hangzhou-Beijing Grand Canal. There are overnight ships, but it will be too dark to enjoy the scenery along the Grand Canal.
The boat fare from Hangzhou to Suzhou is anywhere between 70 and 130 RMB depending on the levels.
[edit] Getting Around
[edit] By Public Bus
There are a total of 278 public bus lines in Hangzhou. In addition, visitors also have the option of taking special tourism buses, the lake bus lines, or the night bus lines.
Buses in Hangzhou use automatic ticket machines, and do not give changes. Passengers get onto the buses from the front doors, and get off the rear doors.
[edit] By Tour Bus
[edit] By Metro
[edit] By subway
Line 1 is scheduled to be completed in 2010, and line 2 shortly thereafter; a total of 8 lines covering over 200km have been planned. The opening dates of the lines are "last", it means they can open earlier in case they pass the security checks quicker. For example, Nanjing's new subway system was opened ahead-of-time, after safety checks were passed, and the same happened in Shanghai.
[edit] By "water bus"
Ferry down the Grand Canal takes 30 minutes but only makes 5 trips per day, the first at 7:30AM and the last at 6PM. It starts at Wulin Gate/West Lake Culture Plaza and ends at Gongchen Bridge, with one stop at Xinyifang Grand Canal Culture Plaza. The boats stop first at Xinyifang, then to the newly-developed Canal Culture Square, where you can see the Canal Museum, see if there are any events in the square, and check out the new Xiaohe Steet- a series of "historical" alleys with shops and restaurants similar to Hangzhou's Hefang Street; the area's renovation was completed in 2008. Cost is ¥3.
While really worth taking the trip, Hangzhou now has plans to connect a series of canals and streams throughout the city with the Grand Canal, West Lake, Yuhang River, and Qiantang River, making for increased water transport and a Venetian feel when completed.
There are also passenger boats running along the Grand Canal from near the Qiantang River
Getting to the islands on West Lake, you get to choose between tourist trap Dragon or "Gaily-painted" pleasure boats (¥45 and ¥35). There are also medium-sized power boats (¥25), or for ¥160 you can hire a driver to paddle you around for about an hour. The boats are available in Hubin #X (1, 3, 6) parks and other obviously marked areas all over the lake.
[edit] By bike
While traffic in Hangzhou may seem chaotic to some foreigners, the city is comparably bike-friendly. All but small side roads have dedicated bike lanes, often divided from motor traffic by barricades or medians.
For longer stays in Hangzhou, making use of the city's extensive public bike system can be a cheap and convenient way to experience the city. These fire engine red public bikes are ubiquitous on the street of Hangzhou, and the rental stations that dispense them are generously spread across the core of the city. To use the bikes, one will need to purchase a stored value card at 20 Longxiang Qiao. To do this, he or she must present an ID (such as a passport) and pay 300 RMB, 200 of which is a deposit with the remaining 100 to cover rentals fees. Bikes may then be rented by tapping the card against one of the automated bike racks holding the bikes. A beep and the audible sound of the rack unlocking will indicate that the bike can be removed. The bike is free for the first hour, 1 RMB an hour for the two hours after that, and 3 RMB an hour thereafter. Bikes are returned by reinserting them into an empty bike rack and tapping one's card against the top of the rack. Another beep, a solid green light, and the sound of the rack locking will indicate when the bike has been received successfully. Bikes not returned by 8:00 p.m. each night must be taken back to the Longxiang Qiao location, so keep an eye on the clock during evening rides. After ten days from purchase of the card, it may be returned for an 89% refund.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] By Taxi & Rental Car
Like most major world cities, Hangzhou has a large number of taxis which allow for quick and convenient travel within the city proper. Most of the city's taxis are turquoise-green in color and easily identifiable by the word "Taxi" printed in both English and Chinese on the vehicles. Taxis for hire are marked by the green (or sometimes yellow-orange) light-up signs above the dashboard on each car.
Hangzhou taxi drivers always use the meter as required by law. All routes under three kilometers are charged a flat rate of 10 RMB (May 2008), plus the temporary addition of a 1 RMB "fuel tax" increase mandated by the government in 2006, is now charged. There is a low "slow-speed" charge for when the taxi is waiting at lights, stopped in traffic. It is advisable to take a receipt each time use you a taxi, should you wish to contact the taxi company or driver at later time to dispute a fare, recover a lost article, etc.
Few, if any, of the city's taxi drivers speak English or other foreign languages. It is therefore important that you be able to point out your destination on a map, present the driver with the name of the destination (in written Chinese), or properly pronounce the name of the destination in spoken Mandarin Chinese. If you have a Chinese acquaintance whom you can reach by cell phone, you can allow him or her to speak to your driver through the phone to convey the desired information.
Hangzhou taxis are not allowed to carry more than four passengers, although you may be able to convince or bribe a driver to allow you to "hide" an extra passenger in the backseat. This can be worth if the trouble or expense if it saves your group from needing to take two taxis.
Taxis, like all public transportation, are difficult to come by during the tourist weeks (Chinese New Year, May Golden Week, and October National Week); also, taxis between 7:30 and 8:45AM and 4:30-7:00PM are difficult to flag, as they are always full or in the middle of a shift change. A taxi with an imminent shift change (around 4.30-5PM) will be showing a plate in the windscreen (Chinese characters of course) and will only take you if your route coincides with his (or hers, a good number of taxi drivers in Hangzhou are women). A good rule of thumb is that if you need a taxi, there won't be any, but if you don't need one, they will be driving extremely slowly in the right lane disrupting traffic and honking and flashing their brights at you. Being familiar with areas that taxis frequent or places where taxi passengers are likely to be dropped off at will aid you in finding a ride.
Taxi drivers will also negotiate for long distance trips, or full-day / half-day hiring. A trip to Pudong airport in Shanghai will be RMB600-1000 depending on time of day or night.
--from wikitravel.org
[edit] Attractions
Hangzhou is ranked as one of the best tourist cities in China due to its surrounding hills, waterways and numerous beautiful sightseeing locations.
Among some of Hangzhou's state-level natural features are the Fuchun and Xin'an Rivers, Qiandao Lake, Tianmu Hill Preserve, Qingliang Mount Preserve, and Xixi Wetland Park.
Hangzhou has six state-level museums and 120 scenic spots.The city has been named "The Best Tourist City" by the World Tourism Organization and China National Tourism Administration; "The Oriental Leisure City" by the World Leisure Organization; "The 2006 Most Alluring China Scenic Resort" and one of the "2006 Top Ten Festival Cities of China."
» search more Hangzhou attractions...
[edit] Hotels
[edit] Budget
[edit] Mid Range
[edit] Luxury
[edit] Restaurants
Hangzhou's food belongs to Eastern School of Chinese Cuisine. It is predominated by seafood and freshwater fish as the nearby ocean, Yangtze River, numerous lakes and river tributaries provide abundant fish, shrimp, and shellfish to this region. Hangzhou claims Beggar's Chicken (叫花鸡) as it's own. Other notable dishes are quick-fried shredded eel (五香脆鳝), West Lake Fish (西湖脆鱼), and shrimp fried with Longjing tea (龙井虾仁).
Lou Wai Lou (楼外楼) (Tel: 0571-87969023; Fax: 0571-87997264), established in 1848, is the most famous restaurant in Hangzhou. It is at 30 Gushan Road near the Shangri-La, right on the lake on an island off Beishan Road. Lou Wai Lou also has a second establishment called Shan Wai Shan Linyu Restaurant & Bar (山外山林语花园餐厅) (at 6 Lingyin Rd; Tel: 0571 8799 8667) right on the Botanical Gardens.
Zhang Sheng Ji (张生记), Shuangling Road Branch (at 77 Shuanglin Road; Tel: 0571-86026666, 0571-86027777). There truly is no bigger restaurant in Hangzhou than Zhang Sheng Ji. The renowned dishes are the Stewed Duck with Dried Bamboo Shoots, the Drunken Chicken, the Sweet Lotus Roots and the Dates Stuffed with Gluttonous rice.
[edit] Shopping
Hangzhou is famous for its silk products, including silk textiles, silk parasols, satin, brocades. The main shopping areas are at Jiefang Road and Yan'an Road. When shopping at the Hangzhou local market, follow the tips on the Tips On Bargaining article. But when bargaining, do so responsibly and friendly. Have a sense of humor and know when to accept an offer.
- Silk Market (杭州中国丝绸城) on West Jiankang Road (西健康路); Tel: 0571-8510 0255. It's about 20-minute taxi ride from the lake. Silk Market is huge (about 3 blocks long) with silk products from different factories. You may want to first check out the quality and price at the department stores and then shop at the silk market.
- Night Market (吴山夜市) on Renhe Road and Huixing Road (仁和路和惠兴路). You can find a variety of small items and gifts, such as jewelry, pearls, DVDs and counterfeit handbags. You can even have some-hard-to-find movies. Start the bargaining with a low price (asking price can be 2~3 times of what the seller will accept), and get tough but not too tough. Many stalls sell the same stuff, so be prepared to walk away.
- Gaoxin Computer Market (高新电脑城) on 35 Wensan Road (文三路35号); Tel: 0571-5677 2380. Tech geek's paradise. There are hundreds of MP3 players, iPod, cell phones, digital cameras and camcorders, and other computer parts.
- Wulin Shoe Market (武林鞋城) on 171-191 Wulin Road (武林路171-191号). You can find all different kind of shoes cheap here.
- Nine Stars Clothes Market (九星服装市场) on 16 Hanghai Road (杭海路16号); Tel: 0571-8652 2944. Open 9am - 5pm. The nice thing about this place is that there is a big selection of designer label knockoffs. You can even find XXX-Large sizes, because the most of the clothes here were made for export.
- Cheap Furniture Market (文一路便宜家具市场) hehind Wu-Mart, Wenyi Road (文一路物美超市后面). Looking for cheap furniture? This place has it all. Delivery service only costs between 20 and 40RMB, depending on where you want to go.
- Hangzhou Tea Market (杭州副食品茶叶市场) on 18-20 Nanban Lane, Jiefang Road (解放路南班巷18-20号); Tel: 0571-8780 5867. Opens 8am - 5:30am. You can find all different kinds of tea, tea sets, tea tools and plenty of munchies. Green tea is a great gift to your Chinese friends in any occasions. Because of the fame of Longjing tea (龙井茶), fake and low-grade varieties also exist. Buy from a large-size shop if you are not comfortable with your tea-shopping skills.
- Bird and Flower Market (花鸟市场). There are mainly three such markets in Hangzhou. The one ion Wushan Square (吴山花鸟城) is the most refined one (also most expensive). The other two are the Bird and Flower Market on Jichang Road (机场路花鸟市场), and the one on Gucui Road and Wener West Road in the west. There are huge selections of pets, seeds, plants and other accessories, as well as traditional Chinese medicines.
[edit] Video
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| Charming Hangzhou |
[edit] Night Life & Entertainment
- Maya Bar (玛雅酒吧) opens from noon - 2am. Address: 94 Baishaquan, Shuguang Road (曙光路白沙泉94号); Tel: 0571-8799 7628.
- Shamrock Irish Sports Pub (三叶啤酒屋) opens from 10am -2am. Address: 89 Jiefang Road (Junction of Jiefang Road and Jianguo Road) 解放路89号（解放路与建国路交叉口）; Tel: 0571-8755 5212.
- SOS (风暴) opens from 8pm - 5am. Address: 3/F, Huanglong Hengli Mansion, 5 Huanglong Road (黄龙路5号黄龙恒励大厦3楼); Tel: 0571-5683 6688.
- Paradise Bar/Restaurant (天上人间) opens 11am - 4am. Address: 36 Hubin Road (湖滨路36号); Tel: 0571-8706 2888.
- Club G Plus (金碧辉煌) opens from 7pm - 4am. Address: 6/F, Wahaha Plaza, 169 Qingchun Road (庆春路169号娃哈哈美食娱乐城6-7楼); Tel: 0571-8721 5152.
- JZ Club (黄楼) opens 6:30pm - 2:30am. Address: 6 Liuying Road (Nanshan Road) 柳营路6号(靠南山路); Tel: 0571-8702 8298.
- 7 Club (7号酒吧) opens from 5pm - 2am. Address: 43 Shuguang Road. (曙光路43号); Tel: 0571-8511 5795.
- Babyface (婴孩脸) opens from 7pm - 2am. Address: 150 Shuguang Road (West side of Dragon Stadium) 曙光路150号, (黄龙体育中心西门); Tel: 0571-8775 5777.
- 1828 Bar & Grill (1828酒吧) opens from 6pm - 2am. Address: 262 Nanshan Road (南山路262号); Tel: 0571-8791 9020.
- Top Red Prestige Club (新鼎红尊荣会所) opens from 11am - 3am. Address: 146-2 Nanshan Road (南山路146-2号); Tel: 0571-8779 1168.
- Reggae Bar (黑根酒吧) opens from 7pm - 3am. Address: 95 Shuguang Road (曙光路95号); Tel: 0571-8796 1587.
- Hooters (美国猫头鹰餐厅) opens from 9:30am - 2am. Address: 217 West Lake Avenue (西湖大道217号); Tel: 0571-8780 3740.
[edit] Sports & Recreation
[edit] Excursions & Day Trips
- Early morning bikeride. Start on the north side of the lake, and head west towards Zhejiang University, then down Lingyin Road past the Botanical Gardens and into Longjing Village. Keep heading West and south through the tea villages, bamboo forest, and scenic valleys to the river and cut over towards Six Harmonies Pagoda. Go back to the south end of the lake via the road right next to Six Harmonies, past the zoo, through the tunnels.
- Walk around the lake. It will take you about 5 hours of slow walking. The lake is not very big and there are two shortcuts (causeways) through it. You can also hire small non-motor powered boats (¥80/hour for personal boat with driver, or use the ferry services) to take you around the lake and to the two islands, which feature some interesting sites.
- Visit the temples and pagodas. The most popular ones are Baochu pagoda, which is the tower-like one on a hill on the north side of the lake. This hill is a great hike, with excellent views of the lake and city, several smaller temples of a variety of religions, and Huanglong Cave on the northern slope of the hill. 6 Harmonies Pagoda, located on the river, is the largest and most imposing. A fun hike after the pagoda leads from the shores of the river, behind the pagoda, and into the Longjing tea fields near the tea museum. Lingyin Temple, on the west side of the lake, is also a large complex with a surprisingly devout crowd of worshipers. This area also has many excellent hikes, as well as a cable car to the top of Beifeng Hill (with another temple at the top). Finally, Leifeng Pagoda has recently been rebuilt and has escalators and elevators, while all that remains of the foundation is on display on the main level. Despite its lack of ancient Chinese beauty, the benches and gazebo-like structures surrounding the area make for a nice place to sit in the breeze, and it also has an excellent view looking in the opposite direction as the Baochu area.
- Spend an afternoon at a tea house. A highlight of visiting Hangzhou is getting out to Manjuelong Village, (South of the lake on top of the hill) Longjin Village or Meijiawu Village, (west and further west of the Lake, respectively) to drink your tea. These villages have had a make-over in the last 2 or 3 years and while can be busy at weekends they are still great places to while away an afternoon watching the tea being picked. The tea houses all serve very local food - pickled vegetables, chicken broth etc - but often there is no menu; rather the owner will suggest what you should eat. Make sure you get a price for the dishes before you tuck in.
- Shopping -- see the "Buy" section for more info.
- The West Lake Golf Club near Six Harmonies Pagoda and Songcheng was designed by Jack Nicklaus.
- Boating along the Hangzhou-Beijing Canal is becoming more popular.
- Go to a book shop. Hangzhou has several book shops, Xinhua bookstore on Jiefang road near the JieBai department store is the oldest bookshop. Boku bookstore at the intersection of WenEr road and HanCheng north road. It's a book lovers paradise.
- Learn Tai Chi Chuan. Tai chi chuan is popular in China and as part of Chinese culture it has been highly evaluated by the whole world. But the problem is if you are from another country then the language would be a big gap. One tai chi instructor for you is James Xu. He is experienced in teaching foreigners tai chi (in English) and has his own web site at [1].
--from wikitravel.org
